


Conscience of Children

by orphan_account



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe- No Magic, Cerebral Palsy, Drunk confessions, First Kiss, Fluff, Grief, M/M, Pining, Single dad Remus, mourning the death of past partner, pub owner Sirius, snarky Teddy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-10
Updated: 2016-01-10
Packaged: 2018-05-12 21:42:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5681860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Remus Lupin comes into Sirius' pub every single Friday night, and Sirius lives for those nights.  Except one week he is missing, and Sirius realises he has to do something about it.  When Remus returns the following week, he takes Sirius home where he discovers a few things about Remus' past.  In the morning he meets Remus' son, and from that moment on, Sirius realises he's exactly where he belongs.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Conscience of Children

**Author's Note:**

> So I decided to write this for a few reasons.
> 
> 1- for Ben. I think you'd find it a huge laugh I attempted to immortalise you through wolfstar fanfic of all things x
> 
> 2- for my kiddo's birthday. You don't read wolfstar, but it's my little tribute to you.
> 
> I wrote this really fast so any mistakes, or if it sounds choppy, it's all my fault. I've been hiding away whilst my kiddo has her mates over for the weekend, and wolfstar happened.

He was expected. He was expected every Friday evening just before the after-work crowd arrived. He was absurdly tall, though the man behind the bar could be considered absurdly short by some standards. But he was perfect, at least according to the bartender who would never give up his Friday nights ever, if only because he wouldn’t miss this one hour of quiet conversation and dimpled smiles full of a large nose scrunching up every time Sirius says something funny, and that overbite which touched down on Remus’ bottom lip every time he laughed.

Nine months it had been going on. Remus arrived one rainy evening, looking half-drowned with his curls in tiny ringlets across his forehead, his threadbare coat barely clinging to his shoulders. Sirius offered a dry jumper and a pint on the house. Remus ordered a basket of chips and kept Sirius company with sarcastic remarks about his day, and quietly taking the piss out of the hetero couple in the corner who were attempting to devour each other’s faces.

“I bet he won’t go into cafes because he thinks men who drink coffee are gay,” Remus muttered over the rim of his pint.

Sirius snickered into his palm, turning away so he wouldn’t laugh harder. Yes. Yes he very much would never give up these Friday nights.

Over the next nine months he learnt Remus worked for a publishing house—he wouldn’t give up the name but after conversations Sirius figured out he did mostly poorly written romance. He learnt Remus was bisexual but preferred men. He learnt they had finished both sixth form and University in the same years, and that Remus had recently moved to London from Wales.

It wasn’t a lot to go on, but Sirius was half-certain Remus fancied him, and had he been less of a coward he would have done more than offer him the occasional pint for free, and the casual winks as Remus left each Friday evening.

Sirius had been working at Stag and Doe for years now. It was James’ pet project he ended up turning over to Sirius when his dad fell ill and asked him to take over his hotel business. Sirius didn’t mind, of course. The pub had been his baby from the moment the doors opened, and he really enjoyed nothing more than standing behind a bar and getting to watch people. Someday he’d write a book about all the stories he heard over the years, but first he needed the patience to sit down and put it all together.

Sirius himself fancied Remus from the moment the taller man walked in. He didn’t fancy people often. He was attractive—he’d become vaguely aware he was aesthetically pleasing to the eye somewhere round sixth form, but apart from his few boyfriends he brought home solely to piss off his mother—leading to him being chucked out on the street and brought him to the Potter’s front door—he avoided people. People never completely understood him. 

But there was something about the way Remus would listen, on the occasion Sirius decided to talk. The bright, amber eyes would fix on his own and for the first time since he met James, Sirius felt like someone actually cared. Which was probably why he was terrified to take things any further.

Which was also why on this Friday night when customers began to pour in but there was no Remus sat at the end of the bar with his pint and chips, Sirius was worried. Very worried.

In fact, he was so worried the next week leading into the next Friday were a nightmare. Not just for Sirius, but for anyone around him because a worried Sirius was never a pleasant person. He shouted at all the cooks, all the serving staff, and even rang up James to shout at him until James told him, “If you don’t stop I’m going to come down there and punch you in the face myself.”

Knowing James would likely make good on that threat, Sirius stopped shouting, but whinged instead. “What if he’s died? Or is in a coma or…something? I’ve no way to contact him!”

“Maybe,” James said slowly, “this is the universe telling you to get your head out of your arse and take your relationship further. Or at least try. Get a number. Text him, like proper, grown adults do.”

Sirius wanted to tell James to go _fuck_ himself entirely, but he couldn’t because his stupid best mate was right. “I hate you.”

“Good bye, Sirius.”

He was all nerves that Friday. Arriving too early, glaring at anyone who even attempted to look at him, and kept himself rooted behind the bar until the door swung open and Remus walked in.

Sirius didn’t ask where he’d been. Did his best to keep his poker-face unmoving. Merely poured the pint and sent the order of chips to the kitchen, leant on his elbow, and smiled.

“So…”

Anything he was going to attempt to say was thwarted by Remus leaning too close and saying, “Any chance you can have a pint or two with me? Or five?”

Sirius practically owned the pub, so there was a chance. A good one. He ordered Mary behind the bar, and kept Remus’ glass full. 

The curly-haired man was going through it faster than he ever had. Sirius was still on his first as Remus was on his third, and just before his fourth, Remus leant over and kissed him. Just a peck to the corner of Sirius’ mouth, but his eyes were half-lidded and his fingers were clutching at the hem of Sirius’ shirt.

“Did I just fuck up?” Remus asked.

Sirius couldn’t help his laugh as he cupped Remus’ cheek with one hand. “No. I was…I’ve been hoping…”

“Oh good,” Remus said in a rush, looking plastered and pleased. “Me too.”

Sirius cut him off after the fourth pint and offered to walk Remus home. He had a flat nearby, just a five minute walk which consisted of stumbling, hand-holding, and another kiss just outside the door.

“You’re really pissed, mate,” Sirius said, holding Remus by the shoulders. “I can’t keep kissing you. What if you wake up tomorrow and hate yourself for it.”

“Not possible,” Remus said, but instead of kissing Sirius, he buried his face in his neck. “I’ve been wanting to snog your face off since the second I walked in the pub months ago. Months. A year almost, is it?”

Sirius chuckled and held Remus by the shoulders. “I feel the same. But I still say not until you’re sober.”

“See. S’what I like about you. All…moral. Not rude. Maybe rude. But not to me.” Remus groaned and his brows furrowed as he pulled away. “Don’t feel…very well.”

“Come on, let’s at least get you inside.” Sirius got the keys off Remus, then managed to follow the half-slurred directions up to the first floor, flat all the way down the corridor. It was very Remus. Tidy and ordered, books everywhere, stacks of papers, and even red-coloured biro which if Sirius hadn’t known he was an editor before, he knew now.

The place was empty, the doors down the little hallway shut so he couldn’t tell what was what. “Should I make you tea?”

“You should get into bed with me,” Remus said, then stumbled and would have fallen had Sirius not caught him.

“I think if I’m not going to snog you,” Sirius said gently, “I’m not going to shag you either.”

“How about a cuddle?” Remus asked, nuzzling close. “Please. You’ve no idea how much I need something right now.”

Sirius pushed Remus away just a bit, and couldn’t help himself as his long fingers curved, cupping Remus’ cheek. “Why?”

“Because…because sixteen years ago I was in love and he _died_ and it’s supposed to stop hurting like this but it hasn’t. And it doesn’t hurt all the time, and sometimes I don’t think about it at all, but sometimes I do and I just…” Remus stopped and levelled a very heavy sigh. “Fuck. I just need a hug.”

Sirius’ gut twisted painfully and he found he couldn’t tell Remus no. He found his arms wrapping round the taller man as best he could and he pressed a soft kiss to the underside of his jaw. He didn’t protest when Remus pulled him down the hall and into the furthest bedroom. He didn’t protest as they stripped down to t-shirts and boxers and climbed under the duvet.

Sirius let Remus curl up against his front and bury his face in Sirius’ neck. 

“I don’t cry anymore,” Remus said. “Well, not often. He was poorly, but he wasn’t supposed to die. But he did. I got thirteen whole months to love him though. So that’s pretty good, right?”

Sirius stroked his fingers into the curls. “Yeah. That is pretty good.”

“He’d call me a fucking idiot right now, you know? Pining for you, but every time I think about getting involved again with someone I actually want, I can’t breathe. Because I think, what if I had loved him even more than I had? I can barely handle this pain, you know? How can I handle pain if it was more? And Sirius, you could be more. I can feel it here,” he said and pushed his palm against where Sirius’ heart was hammering against his ribs.

Sirius didn’t know what to say. It took him a full moment to form a reply. “Well then I’m extra glad I’m not snogging you tonight, Remus. Because it sounds like you will regret this in the morning.”

“No,” Remus said. “I went to see him. And I’m not sure I believe he’s still hanging round—who would, how boring is that? But I know he’d tell me to stop being a fucking twat so I decided to stop being a fucking twat. And there you were stood behind the bar looking so fucking… always so good, Sirius. It’s unfair,” he whinged, and pressed his face hard against Sirius’ collarbone, making the other man laugh. “But I’m still so nervous so I got some liquid courage and I should have stopped but I didn’t. But here you are though. You won’t be gone in the morning?”

“No,” Sirius breathed, and held him tight. “I won’t be gone in the morning.

*** 

When morning came, Remus was still dead to the world, and Sirius knew he’d likely be in some pain when he came to. He managed to slip from the duvet without Remus stirring, and he borrowed the other man’s dressing gown, deciding the least he could do was sort out toast and tea.

Checking through the rooms, he found the toilet to relieve himself, then wandered into the kitchen where he froze, his mouth in a small ‘o’ when he found a kid sat at the breakfast counter staring at him.

Sirius cleared his throat. “Erm. Did I wake up in the wrong flat?”

“You shagging my dad?” the boy asked.

Sirius almost choked on his own tongue. “Er well, I wasn’t shagging anyone. But I slept in Remus’ bed last night so…”

“Then you’re in the right place.”

Sirius blinked. “Right. Okay. Then.”

The boy stared at him for a long time, then a small smirk curved round his lips. “Oh my god, you’re the one from the bar.”

Sirius felt his cheeks flame red, and he looked away. “So he’s mentioned me.”

“Mate, I’ve had to live with him mooning for almost a year. So yeah. He’s mentioned you.” The boy was silent for a while. “I’m Teddy.”

“Sirius.” He offered his name as a sort of peace treaty because he was trying not to give into his shock that Remus had a fucking kid he never bothered to mention. And Sirius was absolutely cool with the whole kid thing—hell he thought about it a few times in his life—but he thought it might be critical information to divulge before bringing a bloke home.

“You cooking breakfast?” Teddy asked after Sirius didn’t say another word.

“Well I was…”

“Because you ought to. It’s my birthday, you know.”

Sirius blinked. “I didn’t. Were you here earlier? When we got in?”

“Was at my aunt’s, but she and my uncle were rowing again so I escaped. Dad’ll be getting some hysterical texts a little later, because I don’t think they know I’ve gone.”

“Jesus, kid,” Sirius muttered.

“Fifteen still qualify as kid?”

Sirius walked to the kettle, filled it, then flicked it on. “I’m thirty-five, so yeah.”

“Means you were only twenty when I was born so it’s not like you’ve got a bunch of decades on me,” Teddy argued. “Though if you want to be an old man, I’m not going to stop you.”

Sirius turned to hide his smile. Fuck, he liked this kid. The kettle finished heating and he poured it over a teabag as he asked, “So what do fifteen year olds eat on their birthdays, then?”

“Do you have any specialties?” 

Sirius turned and grinned. “As a matter of fact, I do. Just need to know if your dad keeps any brandy.”

Sirius’ specialty happened to be crepes filled with Nutella, covered in confectioner’s sugar. Remus did, in fact, have brandy. He only had the granulated sugar, but he had a coffee bean grinder, and when Sirius asked about the Nutella, Teddy threw back his head with a laugh and said, “Mate, you’ve known my dad almost a year and chocolate hasn’t come up?”

It had.

But Sirius didn’t answer straight away because Teddy had gotten up from his seat to show him, and Sirius noticed something very distinct. The boy had a stiff-legged, awkward gait. He walked holding onto the counter, the tops of his feet dragging on the cool flooring as he made his way to the cabinet where Remus apparently kept several jars of Nutella. Sirius recognised it likely as Cerebral Palsy. He’d been working in public service for too long to have not met more than a variety of people. In fact, for two whole years a man called Bill had come in, in a motorised wheelchair. He had Cerebral Palsy which affected all four limbs, along with his speech. But he was the funniest fucker Sirius had ever met in his life, and they’d become good friends. Eventually Bill went off to Romania to work in some animal sanctuary, but Sirius would occasionally get emails with Bill covered in birds or snakes.

“If we ever run out, just know the apocalypse is upon us,” Teddy said, interrupting Sirius’ thoughts, and handed the jar over.

Sirius took it, then grinned as he fished out a pan to make the crepes. Teddy made his way slowly back to the chair as Sirius started to adjust the heat.

“Alright,” Teddy said after a moment. “You’re either too afraid to ask, or you’re too bothered to ask.”

“Or I’m not bothered at all,” Sirius replied with a shrug. “One of my best mates has CP. He’s in a wheelchair though.”

Teddy allowed himself a small hum that really only teenagers could accomplish and perfect. “I like being shocking, you know.”

Sirius rolled his eyes. “Sorry, should I pretend?”

“It’s my birthday,” Teddy pointed out.

Sirius stirred the crepes with the whisk for a moment, then set it down. “Oh you poor boy,” he drawled. “Whatever happened to your legs? Is there a church I can go to so I can pray for you?”

Teddy openly laughed. “You’ve met those types too? Fuck. Listen, if you can make decent crepes, I’m alright if dad keeps you around.”

“High praise, indeed,” Sirius said. He tested the pan, then carefully dropped a dollop of the batter and swirled it round with the handle of the pan. “This would be easier if I had a proper crepe pan. Also if I could have let the brandy sit in the batter for four hours. So just bear that in mind when judging my skills.”

“You think Gordon Ramsay lets people get away with pathetic excuses like that, mate?” Teddy challenged.

Sirius snorted. “How about shut your gob until you’ve tried them.” He decided to try his best to be impressive, so when the edges of the first crepe lifted from the pan, he grabbed the handle, swirled it, then showed off his flipping skills. It landed primly in the centre of the pan where he let it brown for only a second, then tipped it onto the plate.

He looked at Teddy who was trying to hide a smile. “Alright, Mr Crepe Master. So far I’m impressed.”

Sirius’ grin widened as he quickly went through the batter. He had a decent stack, nearly a dozen before putting everything into the sink. When they were cooled enough, he filled four with the Nutella, folding them into triangles, then sprinkled a bit of the powdery sugar over the top, and slid the plate to Teddy the way he slid pints across his bar.

“Alright, Mr Food Critic. The time has come.” He passed over a fork which Teddy rolled his eyes at, and picked one up. The Nutella oozed out of the back end, but Teddy didn’t seem to care as he stuffed half into his mouth and bit down.

Sirius leant on the counter with tea in his hands, watching Teddy devour the first crepe with only the vigour a teenager could possess. His hands were covered in chocolate, and a smear across his cheek and for just a moment Sirius missed being that age.

“Well?”

Teddy sighed. “You know they would be better with some fresh fruit. Some acidity to break up the sweetness of the Nutella and the richness of the crepe.”

Sirius’ grin widened. “Oh fuck off.”

“Fuck off, he says,” Teddy replied, digging into the second sweet. “In my own home. On my own birthday.”

“Didn’t anyone ever tell you fifteen is the age we stop pandering to the youth. Go get a job. Pull your weight round here.”

Teddy grinned a chocolate smile. “I’d like dad to keep you.”

“Tell him that,” Sirius replied.

As though summoned, Remus appeared suddenly from the hall, his face a mask of curiosity and shock. “Ted. What erm…are you doing here?”

“Eating crepes. Your new boyfriend is trying to get me to like him better than you. And it’s working.”

“For the record, I did not call you my boyfriend,” Sirius said in a rush, trying to head off any potential disaster. Remus had been very drunk, and Sirius had no idea how he’d feel now that he’d woken up to the bloke he’d brought home, and his kid he hadn’t mentioned.

“Erm,” Remus said.

“He needs tea,” Teddy replied, muffled by the crepe. “Before he can function.”

Sirius hurried to pour the water over another bag, and handed it over to Remus who still seemed a little gobsmacked. 

“You’d probably like an explanation.”

Sirius shrugged. “A penis enters a vagina, where it ejaculates. The sperm finds an egg, the uterus grows a baby, the uterus-having person pushes out the baby…”

“Sometimes the doctors have to cut it out,” Teddy chimed in. “Like cut open the stomach and when they do that, they also have to take out the person’s bladder and everything. It’s _disgusting_.”

“His aunt made him watch a birthing film,” Remus said, his voice barely above a whisper. “But that’s not exactly what I meant.” He sighed and looked at his son. “You’ve chocolate all over your face. Also what are you doing here? I just woke up to your hysterical aunt who…”

“They were rowing again,” Teddy said. “Loudly. Slamming shit. I’m not staying there when they’re like that.”

Remus pinched the bridge of his nose. “Please go start your shower. She also said you left your orthotics over there.”

“I didn’t feel like wearing them today. It’s not like they make me better,” Teddy said, rolling his eyes as he hopped down from the floor. “I remembered my crutches at least.”

“Because you said five times you didn’t want to use your chair today,” Remus argued back. “Go.”

“Fine. Enjoy snogging your boyfriend. He makes good crepes so he’s got that going for him. With Nutella and everything.”

With that, Teddy grinned at Sirius, then made his way down the hall to the bathroom. When the door clicked shut, Remus turned to Sirius, his face very pink and drawn.

“Is this where you tell me you made a mistake and say it’s best if I just go?” Sirius asked, clinging to the mug as though if he was holding something that personally belonged to Remus, the other man would be forced to let him stay.

Remus sighed. “I should have said something about Teddy. I was…”

“Wankered?”

Remus sighed again. “Nervous. I try to be careful because eventually it involves him and ends up not just being me who gets hurt.”

“Well if my opinion matters at all,” Sirius said slowly, “I like him. He’s got your sarcasm and a foul mouth and he likes my crepes.” Setting the mug down on the counter, Sirius approached Remus very carefully, lifting a hand and gave him time to pull away. He didn’t. “I also like you, you know.”

Remus closed his eyes as Sirius’ long fingers cupped his cheek, and he unconsciously moved into the gesture. “I like you too.”

Licking his lips, Sirius moved his hand down from Remus’ cheek to his shoulder, and drew him close. “So?”

“I just…feel like I should explain.” Remus opened his eyes, but didn’t step away though his shoulders had gone tense. “I remember last night. Telling you last night about…about him. Ben. After he died I wasn’t in a good way. Went out, met a person, had sex, and we parted ways. Only six months later they turned up on my doorstep with an offer. I could sign an agreement to put the baby up for adoption, or I could take the baby.”

Sirius listened carefully, nodding along, increasing his grip on Remus’ shoulder. “Alright,” he breathed.

Remus closed his eyes for a second. “I wanted to wait. I wasn’t sure, I was hurting, you know? I’d lost Ben and I…” His voice went tight. “But I saw his little face and I knew he was mine.”

Sirius stroked the side of Remus’ neck with his thumb lightly. “Of course he is.”

Remus reached up, scrubbing at his eyes. “I didn’t mean to do it this way, you know. I was…I wanted to tell you, ask you for a drink. A date. I did not intend you staying over for a cuddle and cooking my son breakfast.”

“Well, it is his birthday,” Sirius said lightly. Sure now he wasn’t being chucked out on his arse, he let Remus go in favour of the crepes, and shoved the plate at him. “Do I need to win you over with my chocolate skills as well?”

Remus laughed, but politely took one, bit it, and his eyes went wide. “Shit.”

Sirius threw his head back and laughed. “Yes. I know.”

Remus are far more carefully than his son had, but with no less enthusiasm for it. “I was going to pick him up later, after I explained everything. You erm…obviously saw his…” Remus cleared his throat. “It’s called Cerebral Palsy.”

“I know about it,” Sirius said very carefully, not wanting to come across wrong. “That mate I told you about, with the photo of the snakes? He has it as well. Spastic CP in all four limbs.”

Remus relaxed a bit. “Teddy’s is just the legs, and he walks alright though he’s got a chair for longer journeys. He wants to go to the cinema today and he’s going to be well furious that I’m going to make him use it. The walk to the tube is too long without his orthotics. He’s been leaving them places on purpose.”

Sirius worried his bottom lip, then said, “I’ve a car, you know. If it wouldn’t be…I mean it’s rude offering to tag along on your kid’s birthday but…”

“You’d want to?” Remus asked, sounding truly surprised.

Sirius barked a laugh. “You joking? I wasn’t kidding when I said I liked him. He’s a fucking delight.”

“You hear that dad,” Teddy called from the hallway, surprising both men. “He thinks I’m a fucking delight. And he’s got a car. And he makes crepes.”

Remus pinked, then looked at Sirius. “I think Ted’s on board.”

“Excellent,” Sirius said. “It’s parked at the pub. I’ll go get it, yeah? Then maybe we can go for a proper breakfast and a…film?”

“Star Wars, bitches!” Teddy crowed, then headed for his room to dress for the day.

Remus walked Sirius to the door. “Can we talk later tonight?”

“Yes,” Sirius said very carefully. “If you like.”

“I just want to establish some erm…I don’t want to say boundaries but…”

“I get it,” Sirius replied quietly. “Let’s just enjoy his day, alright?”

Remus smiled and nodded, then reached out to pull Sirius in, pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth. “Yeah. Yeah, alright.”

*** 

The day was a success. After a small breakfast, they found themselves at the cinema seeing the earliest showing. Teddy rested his crutches in the seats next to him and whispered to Sirius, “It makes people uncomfortable and they don’t sit here. So I can stretch out.”

It worked until Remus noticed and made Teddy put them under his seat. “He does this every time, and always thinks he can get away with it.”

Sirius snorted a laugh and elbowed Teddy. “Next time we leave the stodgy one home, yeah?”

That earned Sirius a huge grin and a handful of Teddy’s jelly babies.

All three of them loved the film. Remus going weepy at the opening, and Teddy sobbing onto Sirius’ shoulder and saying, “Rey just wanted someone to come back for her…and Finn did. What a precious Finnamon Roll oh god I’m dying.”

When it was over, all three vowed to see it at least nine more times before it left the cinemas. Sirius insisted they have lunch, and Teddy begged to see the pub which Sirius obliged. They had sandwiches and soup left over from the night before at a pub table, then Remus handed over Teddy’s gift—a gift card for Microsoft so he could go on a short spree for his xbox. 

“Oh hellz yeah. Best dad!” Teddy crowed, then clambered across the table to throw one arm over his dad’s shoulders. “Could you two like get gay married so I can gave gay dads that are cool? I feel like Sirius’ whole thing,” he waved his hand up and down at Sirius, “would raise your cool points a lot, dad.”

Remus flushed. “We’ve not been on one date yet. Let’s talk about this later.”

Sirius merely grinned, and when Remus looked away, he winked and mouthed, ‘Bet on it.’

Teddy held up ten fingers and mouthed, ‘Ten quid- two months.’

Sirius shrugged, then mouthed, ‘Six.’

When Remus went for the toilet, Teddy leant over the table. “He has to ask you though. Otherwise it’s cheating.”

Sirius extended his hand and they shook on it. “Deal.”

Sirius was invited back to the flat for tea, and they watched New Hope at Teddy’s insistence who said it wasn’t as good but Harrison Ford’s pouting mouth well made up for it, and that he was fairly sure the new film had got it wrong because Kylo Ren had to be Luke’s son. “There’s no fucking way a whinging-arse like that came from Leia’s womb. And definitely not Han. I bet their kids got switched at birth or something.”

Finally Teddy was excused to his room to sort out his xbox purchases and make for bed. Sirius passed by after he’d gone to the toilet, and he leant on the doorframe as Teddy was lounged back on his bed. “Good birthday, kid?”

“Best one yet. Well except for my twelfth when my aunt forgot to pick me up and so she ended up giving me two-hundred quid—like hard cash—to say sorry. That was pretty cool. But dad looks at you like he wants to snog your face off and marry you. Probably because you don’t treat me like I’m a fucking incapable infant.”

Sirius frowned. “Erm…anyone who does that deserves to get punched. My best mate James loves punching people so if it happens again, just text me. I’ll send him over.”

“Excellent contact to have. Duly noted. I’ll get your mobile number in the morning since obviously you’re staying.”

“Ah well… your dad hasn’t…”

“Don’t let him get weird, alright. He’s fancied you for just about fucking ever and I don’t think today could have gone better. Don’t let him be a twat about it. I’ll sleep in ear plugs so you can have a shag if you want.”

“God you’re embarrassing, and I should be well past that phase in my life.” Sirius walked over and clapped Teddy on the shoulder. “If your dad is a twat about it, then I’ll see you later. If not, see you in the morning.”

“Yep,” Teddy said. “I look forward to another one of your breakfasts.”

Sirius rolled his eyes, and shut Teddy’s door on the way out. As he stepped into the hall, Remus was there watching him with careful eyes.

“Part of me wonders if you’re just trying really hard, but Teddy can always see through that shit,” he said softly.

Sirius laughed as they moved back to the lounge. “I bet he does. Kid’s fucking sharp. Scary sharp.”

Remus nodded. “You’re not the first person I’ve dated since Ben. Might be the first one I’ve had sleep over—as unintentional as it was. But you can always hear that tone in their voice when they think Teddy’s…” Remus cleared his throat, then pitched his voice high. “Hey there, buddy. Awesome job you did today!”

Sirius rolled his eyes. “That’s disgusting.”

“And yet,” Remus replied, shaking his head. “He likes you.”

“I’m a fucking delight too, you know,” Sirius said.

Remus nodded, reaching out carefully and pulled Sirius close. “I do know. It’s why I’ve come into your pub every Friday night for the last nine months.”

“You mean it’s not for my chips.”

“No,” Remus breathed, and oh—put his mouth right up against Sirius’ cheek. “It wasn’t for the soggy chips.”

“I resent that!” Sirius said, but it was all he could say before Remus’ mouth captured his in a proper, greedy snog. Remus slid his tongue into Sirius’ mouth, wet, demanding, needy. His hands fisted into Sirius’ shirt and he moaned. 

“This is me,” Remus said, his words muffled against Sirius’ lips, “letting you know I want to give this a proper go. If you’d like.”

Sirius pulled back and his eyes were narrowed with mirth, pupils blown wide with desire. “Yeah, Remus. I would like. I would very much,” he punctuated that statement with a kiss to Remus’ lips, “fucking like.”

*** 

**Eight Months Later**

Sirius strolled in whistling, and found Teddy on one crutch heading from his room to the kitchen, a bit of pizza crust hanging from his mouth. He grinned around it, chewing slowly as Sirius threw his keys onto the table.

“Well?” the kid demanded.

Sirius brandished his hand where a black, titanium band sat on his finger. “I won.”

“What?” Teddy cried. “How the hell do you figure! You said six months.”

“And you said two,” Sirius said, shaking his head. “And eight is closer to six than two, my friend. Sorry. Totally shite bet, and I knew it.”

“And you let me take it all the same. That’s gotta be some form of child abuse,” Teddy said, throwing his crutch against the counter and using his arms to lift himself onto the tall stool.

“Listen, you need to learn hard lessons in life. The first of which—don’t bet against me. I’m a fucking shark.” Sirius moved round the kid, ruffling his currently blue curls as he headed for the fridge to get the juice. He poured out two glasses.

“So do I have to call you like…dad now? Or something?”

Sirius rolled his eyes. “Nah. You like Padfoot too much.”

“Only because you started calling dad Moony,” Teddy replied with a shrug. He caught the juice Sirius slid across the counter at him.

“Fair’s fair. You’re the one who told me he was mooning. How could I let that go?” He sipped on the juice, then leant on the counter. “I told him he has to pick the date of the wedding. You want to try again?”

Teddy’s eyes narrowed and his smile spread wide. “Yeah I do. Fifteenth of August.”

Sirius’ eyes narrowed. “You know something I don’t.”

Teddy shrugged, his poker-face falling into place. “Maybe I do, maybe I’m bluffing. You want to take the risk?”

Sirius studied him for a moment, then said, “Yeah, I do. I pick October.”

“The whole month?”

“I’ll give you all of August,” Sirius offered.

Teddy grinned, shaking his head. “Nah, don’t need it. But is it a bet?” He extended his hand, and Sirius took it.

A moment later, the door swung open and Remus walked in, smiling. He dropped a kiss to the top of Teddy’s head before pulling Sirius in for a proper one amongst Teddy’s loud gagging noises.

“I’m an impressionable youth. Do you realise what you’re teaching me, here? Do you realise I might catch your gay!”

“Yeah, I heard that’s nasty business. Wonder what your boyfriend would think,” Sirius muttered as he pressed a lazy kiss to the underside of Remus’ chin.

Teddy snickered into his juice. “So dad. Wedding date. I heard it’s really bad luck to leave it too long.”

Remus wrapped his arms round Sirius’ waist from behind him, letting his chin rest on Sirius’ shoulder. “Is that right? So I should pick straight away?”

Teddy grinned. “Yeah. You should.”

Remus nuzzled Sirius’ cheek with his nose for a moment, then sighed. “And you have no preferences at all?”

Sirius opened his mouth, but with the glower from Teddy, stopped and sighed. “No, love. None at all.”

Remus kissed his jawline lightly. “Alright. Well I’ve always wanted to get married on my parents’ anniversary. So how about the fifteenth of August.”

Sirius’ eyes went wide. “Cheat! Disqualified!”

Teddy threw his head back and cackled. “Not my fault you took the bet. It was a shite bet. Now where’s my ten quid?”

Whilst Remus looked confused, Sirius dug into his pockets and pulled out two fivers, slapping them on the counter. “I’m not even going to mention how technically you owe me ten so this debt should be dissolved…because I am a magnanimous and wonderful person.”

“And I’m going to pretend you aren’t making bets with our son,” Remus muttered, then froze. “I mean…er. My. Son.”

Teddy and Sirius locked eyes, then the teen shook his head. “Nah. You were right the first time. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go put this into my tattoo fund. You two be good now.” With that, Teddy grabbed his crutch and headed back out of the room.

The moment his door shut, Sirius spun in Remus’ arms and cupped his cheek. “You know how much I love you?”

Remus smiled and bent down for a kiss. “Yeah. I do. Because I love you just as much.”

Sirius kissed him, slow and lazy, pouring everything he had into it. “I can’t wait to marry you, Remus Lupin.”

Remus grinned and pushed his face right into Sirius’ neck. “Good. Because I can’t wait to marry you.”


End file.
